BL4258 Foraging in Marine Mammals

Academic year

2024 to 2025 Semester 1

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

15

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 10

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

Not automatically available to General Degree students

Planned timetable

To be arranged.

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Prof P J Miller

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Dr S Smout, Dr D Thompson

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

This module will provide primarily seminar and practical-based analysis of the life-history requirements of foraging in marine mammals, geographical and physiological constraints on finding food, food and feeding with a focus on types of prey and adaptations by the prey, adaptations for marine mammals feeding in the marine environment, optimal foraging theory, and optimal diving theory. Initial lectures will focus on theoretical issues and description of methods to study foraging. Students will then conduct case-studies of marine-mammal foraging, which will be presented in a seminar format as a group.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisites

BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST PASS BL3319

Assessment pattern

Coursework = 100%

Re-assessment

Coursework = 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

Introductory lecture plus 3 x 1-hour lectures (x 3 weeks), 2 x 2-hour student-led seminars (x 4 weeks)

Scheduled learning hours

26

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

124

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.